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I really don't want to end up getting into a fight here at school. My life's screwed up enough as it is without completely ruining my "normal student" facade with Branch fighting in front of most of the people I know. But I also don't want to screw up and lose track of this... whoever the hell set off that Synapse. After all, this is probably my only chance to find out who they are without exposing my own location.

So as a bit of a compromise, I decide to keep tabs on the heartbeats of the people here whose heartrates are elevated and then move along from there. After all, nothing's able to hide from these ears.

But I kind of need to get to homeroom before I end up in trouble with my teachers.


>just keep tabs on their locations while I'm in class
>try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

>>42447802
>>try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

>>42447802
>>try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

>>42447802
>try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

I think we can trust our alternate personality to keep tabs on the math stuff that can be tricky to catch up on.

As a meta question: Do Joshua and CC attend the same high school? I would assume for the sake of simplicity they do not.

>>42447802
>>just keep tabs on their locations while I'm in class

>>42447931
It's been stated that they're in two different cities.

>>42447931
They live in different cities altogether.

>>42447802
>try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

>>42447802
>try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

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>>42447931
>As a meta question: Do Joshua and CC attend the same high school? I would assume for the sake of simplicity they do not.
>>42447982
>It's been stated that they're in two different cities.
Yeah, they're not even in the same state.


Here's a bit of timeframe of the main quest since it was bugging me and I don't want to fall any more off-track than I already have.


>writing

>>42448452
It's barely been a month and CC already has a 2.0 k/d ratio. I bet Overshine's super jelly.

>>42448452
Damn I wish I could kill 4 people in the same month.

>>42448452
speaking of day one, did Char end up releasing that cat after it got patched up?

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>>42448557
>speaking of day one, did Char end up releasing that cat after it got patched up?
Yeah, Charlotte made sure that it found a nice home. since she knows how shit it is to be on your own without anyone to help you

>>42447802
>Try and eavesdrop on them while I'm in class

Goddammit Arch I have fucking missed you

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My lack of any friends outside of the voice in my head actually helps me for once, as I make it to homeroom without anyone trying to talk to me or ask to copy my homework or anything else that may distract me from my task at hand. Because seriously, it's taking like all of my concentration to keep tabs on the locations of fifteen different, constantly-changing heartbeats.

After taking my seat, I bring out my textbooks and homework sheets and stuff, using it as camouflage to hide the fact that my attention is elsewhere.

need help?

No, I should be able to handle this on my own.

if you say so


>[1/?]

>>42448893


Fifteen heartbeats. There's no way that I can keep this up so let me try and narrow down some of the suspects before I burn out.

The first... it's someone running and then they reach a door, throwing it open so hard that it swings all the way back to the wall and slams into it. They keep running, and...

...God damn it. Sometimes it sucks to be able to hear everything.

After muffling any further sound from THAT area, I move on down the list to the others who caught my attention. This one's sitting in a classroom... I don't recognize that teacher's voice and it doesn't sound like the owner of said heartbeat (which is still kind of elevated) is going to speak up and give me something else to work with so I'll just move on to the next.

This one's a teacher... wait, a -student- teacher. Oh, this is who those girls were gossiping about fooling around with some girl in his class. On to the next, I guess.


>[2/?]

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>>42449619
At least take some pride in your work man.

>>42449444
>[3/3]

Okay. That's ten that I can cross off, two that I'm still unsure about and-

joshua

Wait a minute, I'm almost done.

joshua!

Seriously, just a mi-

"Joshua Schweitzer!"

A voice shouting in my ears just about knocks me out of my chair. While I haven't been able to be harmed by loud noises for a long time now, it's still unsettling to have someone just...

...oh.

"Finished daydreaming?" a teacher asks, leaning on my desk while the rest of the class laughs at my expense.

sorry, I tried to get your attention

"Got a lot on my mind," I mumble. "Sorry."
"At least you bothered to do your homework," he replies, snatching up the homework that I'd left on my desk. "But most of your grade is based on PARTICIPATION so I suggest you at least attempt to pay attention in class."

Not wanting to get yelled at any more than I already have, I keep tabs on the remaining five suspects while refocusing on class for the rest of the period. Thankfully, this class only lasts for another twenty minutes.


>go to the rest of my classes and dedicate lunch period to finding the person who caused the synapse
>skip my next class and use that time to try and find the person who caused it

>>42449820
>go to the rest of my classes and dedicate lunch period to finding the person who caused the synapse

>>42449820
>go to the rest of my classes and dedicate lunch period to finding the person who caused the synapse

Break that stereotype son!

I know you have a broken home life, and get into spooky shit, and are kind of snarky, but being a delinquent on top of that would be totally cliche, you know?

>>42449820
>go to the rest of my classes and dedicate lunch period to finding the person who caused the synapse

gotta keep up our cover.

>tfw I like song of unison more than the mainquest
This is like a breath of fresh air after the mainquest

>>42449820
>>skip my next class and use that time to try and find the person who caused it

>>42449820
>go to the rest of my classes and dedicate lunch period to finding the person who caused the synapse

>writing

Hey Archelon. What do you think of this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvZNNPjBSjI

second period

library's open

why not just hide out there while we look for whoever it was that caused the synapse?

Eh... I dunno. This is important and all, but skipping class has the potential to earn me even more grief that I don't want to have to put up with. And if one of the remaining five tries to leave the building, it's not like I wouldn't know.

fair enough I guess

Yeah, I'll just wait until lunch period and then get back on the search then. On the off chance that we have the same scheduled lunch, it'd be more likely for them to actually be talking and then I'd be able to hone in on their voice instead of just their heartbeat.


>[1/?]

>>42450173
>Not this
https://youtu.be/6R3BYCT5oWw

>>42450307
>[2/2]

The next three periods are spent with me in the role of a Good Student, focusing on my schoolwork while keeping track of the last five heartbeats that I have to sort through in the back of my mind. And of course time seems to move slower when I have actual important stuff to be doing...

...ugh.

But eventually, my long-awaited lunchtime arrives and I am now free to do as I please.


>call irene and tell her that I've found something maybe
>hide out in the library while searching for the source of the synapse with mine ears
>walk throughout the school while searching for the source of the synapse

>>42450440
>walk throughout the school while searching for the source of the synapse

>>42450440
>walk throughout the school while searching for the source of the synapse
>call Tits McGee and tell her that I've found something maybe

>>42450440
{Other} Go to lunch like a normal dude would. While there focus hard on the remaining hardbeats.

You can't investigate on an empty stomach, bro!

>>42450440
>walk throughout the school while searching for the source of the synapse

>>42450440
>>call the one girl orgy and tell her that I've found something maybe

>>42450440
>walk throughout the school while searching for the source of the synapse

>>42450440
>>call irene and tell her that I've found something maybe

>writing

Since I finally have some time to move around freely, I decide to do just that. After picking up a cinnamon bun from the cafeteria, I head out into the hallways in search of my target.

sound hunter joshua

silencing the melody of injustice

.........

Ignoring the lame jokes of the voice in my head, I make my way towards the closest of the remaining heartbeats while still taking care to keep well out of sight.


>[1/?]

>>42450992

"Sorry, I just..." a girl says, "my Mom's got surgery today and I'm not really in the mood to hang out, okay?"
"Oh," a boy replies with an uncomfortable grunt. "Sorry, I didn't know-"
"It's fine," she sighs, "it's nothing serious but I still worry that they're gonna screw up with the anasthesia or something and I'll get a call that something awful happened."

oh

umm

Yeah, she's definitely not it.

you thinking about your own mom?

I -always- am, you know that.

sorry

Whatever, it's time to move. My free time's limited and I'd like to find this person before I have to get back to class.


>[2/?]

>>42451056
>[3/3]

I continue moving, locating and then eavesdropping on the remaining four people.

A teacher who had a blood test to see if he has diabetes and the results are supposed to be coming in today. A kid whose parents decided to stop paying for the insurance on his car. All of that's normal, everyday stuff that'd be entirely likely to cause an elevated heartbeat.

maybe it isn't any of these people?

I really hope not, that'd mean that I wasted the entire day thus far.

The next person's a kid who's-

that voice

that voice

it's the same kid

What? How can you tell!?

how can you not tell? it's him

the one who knocked us out and took the rock kid away


>call irene right now and tell her
>keep staying out of sight while eavesdropping on this kid
>[OTHER]

>>42451529
>keep staying out of sight while eavesdropping on this kid

>>42451529
>>keep staying out of sight while eavesdropping on this kid

>>42451529
>>keep staying out of sight while eavesdropping on this kid

>>42451529
>keep staying out of sight while eavesdropping on this kid

Preferably while putting distance between us. He's demonstrated he's better in a straight-up fight (unless we get a nasty sneak attack in) so we should dig up as much info as possible before going after him.

>writing

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calm mind

clear mind

Yeah, I get you. Getting worked up at this point would also risk exposing myself to this guy, and I'm not all that sure if I'd be able to win against him in a direct confrontation.

what?

you totally could

just get creative

Maybe I could, but I don't want to test that if I don't have to. Instead, let's keep out of sight and try to collect some information about this guy.

spying?

Spying.


>[1/?]

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>>42451704
Reading Mondaiji now. One of the MCs is basically Charlotte without control aspect but traits of all creatures are already hardwired, the other is vanilla control type. The super move of the third one is a small pillar of hard light, which is enlarged to huge ass size for heavens piercing and mountain smashing. Funny coincidence is it.

>>42451829
Didn't mean to quote.

>>42451810

"Yo Marshall, do you have the stuff?" a boy asks.
"Here," another boy replies.

that's him

"Sweet!" the boy laughs while rustling some kind of plastic bag. "How much to I owe you?"
"This one's a freebie," Marshall replies, "I'm in a good mood."
"Really?" he laughs. "What for, you're usually stingy as fuck!"
"Received a blessing from the tree of knowledge, that's all."
"You on with that weird shit again?" the other boy laughs. "Real ultimate power and demon possession and all that?"
"Exactly."

......that was way easier than I thought.


>[2/?]

>>42452017

"Man, you need to go to church or something," the boy laughs. "Get all that gothy edge stuff out of you before you end up posting shitty poetry online."
"Very funny," Marshall replies.
"Seriously, I bet that shithead little brother of yours teases you nonstop."
"Actually, he's learned to appreciate and respect my interests."

Marshall starts to walk away, patting the other boy on the shoulder as he walks past.

"Maybe you'll learn to do the same eventually..." he laughs.
"You know man, people're gonna think you're planning to shoot up the school if you keep up with this."
"Psh, I'd do something WAY more original than that."

edgelord


>[3/?]

>>42452175
>[4/4]

Just then, the chime that signals the end of the period rings and the hallways are flooded with students. All this extra sound is kind of annoying, but I've still got a solid lock on Marshall's heartbeat.

what should we do now?


>back to class with me
>head to the library for some detective work
>call the irene now
>[OTHER]

>>42452244
>>head to the library for some detective work

>>42452244
>>call the irene now

I'm having some technical difficulties on this end and participation's died off so this is it for tonight's thread. Many thanks to everyone who bothered to show up tonight, and I apologize for this long lull in the action.

The next thread will be on Sunday night, when the main quest will return for the fourth chapter.


and now questions if anyone had them

Nothing, huh. That's kind of disheartening.

Anyways, thanks for playing!


For questioning:
http://maouzenigame.tumblr.com/

Game production blog:
https://studioarchelon.wordpress.com/

Ah, that's too bad. Joshua sessions are rare so it's seems to be a waste. But iirc all theards after breaks were slow like that. See you later, Arch.

>>42452563
>Nothing, huh. That's kind of disheartening.
I only came here after your last post and I rarely have questions. Happened surprisingly often so far, which is kind of sad because I like participating in your quest.

>>42452244
>call the irene now

>>42452603
Yeah, same here. Just got caught up with the thread.